Desire In Strawberries
by shelbyshoe
Summary: Natsu and Lucy are swept away by a festival held by their wealthy client, Lady Nakahara. There is more than mystery and the scent of strawberries in the air as they find themselves intimately closer to one another. What they thought was a friendly feast turns into something more as the puzzling night goes on.
1. Chapter 1

The horse-drawn wagon rocked beneath her. She felt the midday rays blanket her skin, and could see shapes and shadows beneath her closed lids. Lucy would have lie in the hay and let the journey rock her to sleep if Natsu had not been so close and awake. She peaked in his direction. His face was pensive, a relaxed state she had become accustomed to. His softened features gave him a youthful glow in the summer sun. His chin was propped up in his palm, his other arm draped over the side of the wagon. It was a casual posture that had her staring. She wondered if he had made glances at her in their times together. His gaze was distant, unwavering on the landscape around them, and made her curious to slide inside his mind at her own whim. She could tell his thoughts were shadowed by his optimistic demeanor since the morning they left Magnolia. As natural as it was for Natsu and Gray to fight, the morning's hostility had been quite intense.

She pretended to stretch when his gaze caught hers. "Morning," she sighed. He grinned in a cocky sort of way, a darkness grew smaller in his eyes, his thoughts drifted away replaced by a glimmer of mischief. Lucy was happy that Wendy had given them a liquid form of her motion sickness magic before they had left. The thought of him rolling over in the hay complaining of a headache didn't seem pleasant.

"Lucy, it's almost dinner time."

"But I just woke up."

"Liar."

"Do you always think of food?"

Lucy sat up onto her elbows with a smirk across her lips. The grin began to fade as he leaned in, a sudden gesture she was unprepared for. He was so close that she could smell him. It was a comforting scent of woods and smoke. She had felt her eyes close, her lips parted softly. There was an ache in the pit of her stomach. Her face felt heated from more than just the sun. As she sat still in the hay, Lucy tried to steady her arms from shaking beneath her.

"There," he said. "You had hay in your hair." Lucy's eyes snapped open. Her lips slammed shut at her obvious mistake. Natsu's hand still lingered, and his eyes wandered across her golden hair in search for more. Lucy batted his hand away.

"Thanks Natsu," She said. This time she sat up to look out at the country over the side of the wagon. Rolling hills gave way to flowers and green. The breeze swayed like a pulse, tossing the grass. The plains felt alive with the steady rhythm. The older gentleman that had steered the horses sat motionless except for the slight bumps in the dirt road. When she had asked him for a ride he had been shaking, as older people do, and his voice was soft and sweet.

Natsu faced toward the path the old man took. "Something smells different," he observed. Just as the wagon made it over a larger hill an enormous structure came into view. His mouth hung open at the sheer size of the place. He would say it was a mansion rather than a quaint home as the flier had presumed. The whole property was surrounded by a stone wall, the inside sectioned out in multiple buildings.

"Do you think we got the right place?" Lucy asked.

"I'm not sure."

"Lady Nakahara should be in the west building this evening," the old man informed the two. "But I'll be dropping the hay off in the east." If it wasn't for Natsu's excellent hearing he may not have heard the man's soft voice over the sounds of the wagon across the dirt. He turned to Lucy, who raised her brows in confusion. He only replied with his thumbs up. The nod of her head signaled her understanding.

The rest of the ride was smooth. The home was even bigger than they had originally thought from over the hill. Natsu and Lucy couldn't even see the buildings over the wall that loomed before them. They thanked the man for his kindness and got out of the wagon. Natsu extended a hand for Lucy to jump down. They walked along the wall toward the west entrance as the older man had mentioned.

"This place smells weird," Natsu said, his voice boomed in the quiet breeze.

"Natsu, will you keep it down? What if they heard you say this place was weird?"

"To be honest the whole job was strange."

"Natsu!"

"What? It was! When was the last time we had to escort someone that wasn't even in danger?"

"They were worried about robbers," Lucy reasoned, "besides, with a place this big I'm sure the reward will be much greater than the job was worth." She grinned at the prospect of a couple months of rent. The gate had a massive seal with intricate metal detailing made her believe that this place belonged to nobility. "Do we knock or something?"

"Beats me," Natsu wrapped his hands around the gate and shook it forcefully.

Lucy tried to pull him away, but he would not budge. "Natsu!"

"Nakahara residence, please state your business," a voice boomed over a lacrima com above them. Natsu jumped back in a readied stance to fight, and nearly toppled over Lucy in the process.

"We're wizards of Fairy Tail! Here to finish our job," Natsu called.

Without an answer the gate began to open. "Well that was easy," Natsu grinned down at Lucy who still had her hands wrapped around his biceps. She had not noticed she had clung to him until the gate opened. Lucy brushed her hands to her sides and walked forward. She refused to meet his eyes, even though she was sure he wouldn't have noticed.

"I wonder which building she's in," Natsu wondered.

"You have a lot of questions toda-," Lucy began. Natsu didn't try to answer her as he came to stand beside her. The palace before them took their breath. It was something Lucy thought she had only seen in story books. It took her back to the times in her father's study with books open to pictures of a place of the past called the orient. The buildings were a crimson red with roofs of deep green that she could only compare to Natsu's eyes. The gold trimmings and statues were something else entirely to ogle at. "Natsu?"

"Yeah?"

"Where are we?"

"Welcome to the palace of Lady Nakahara," a friendly voice greeted. Lucy hadn't noticed before but a younger man stood before them in a dark black uniform. There were shining pins across his chest and gold straps on his shoulders that told her that he had a high position in the estate. His black hair was in a short cut that convinced her that he must have been militia. "You must be Natsu Dragneel and Lucy Heartfilia from Fairy Tail."

"Where did you come from?" Natsu asked loudly. If she hadn't been trying to look mannered herself she would have kicked him. She wanted to represent Fairy Tail as more than a bunch of violent mages from the grand magic games.

"I apologize. My name is Hitoshi Honda, it is an honor to have you both in our home." He bowed low respectfully. "If you would follow me I will show you to your quarters."

"Quarters? I was unaware that we would be staying," Lucy said politely.

"There is a banquet tonight for the harvest. Lady Nakahara wishes for you to join her for an evening of festivities. It will go along with your monetary reward."

"Banquet?" Natsu said his ears perked up with the mention of free food.

"Monetary?" Lucy added. The two made a glance to one another. Somehow they had seemed less uneasy about the entire journey.

"Now, if you will follow me."

Lucy and Natsu trailed behind Hitoshi. Lucy glanced around as they passed multiple smaller buildings. All of which were decorated with tiny red lights, like the twinkle of stars as the sun began to dip lower. "Hitoshi?" Lucy said after clearing her throat, "What exactly is this festival about?"

"Lady Nakahara is a great collector and is a master of trade. There was a time when the noble family lay waste to disease. At this time Lady Nakahara was only a child. Because of their illness traders began to fear the residence."

"That's awful," Lucy commented finding Natsu lost in the scenery.

"It is indeed," he continued. "But a travelling doctor found the residence. It was quite a miracle since Lady Nakahara was the only blood line left."

"What cured her?"

"It was a marvelous gift from the doctor. He had brought with him the seeds of a fruit from a strange land. The fruit was called strawberries." Lucy had heard of strawberries before. Her father had the fortune at one time to afford such luxuries. They were not used as medicine however, so Hitoshi's story had left her confused. "He informed us that he had been working on a strain of strawberries that had healing properties and other magical benefits. When the berries worked to cure the disease that ravaged our noble lady's body we had a feast in celebration. We now celebrate it today as the rebirth of our great palace."

"That's wonderful! Do you still eat strawberries for the feast?" she asked.

Hitoshi smiled with great warmth at her honest excitement. "I'll show you."

Natsu glanced in his direction, noticing their closeness. "What about our quarters?" Natsu asked mainly to make his presence known. Hitoshi stepped back from Lucy to look in Natsu's direction. He had been trailing behind them curious about the strange smell that he couldn't place. Now he gained all of Hitoshi's attention. There was something about the man that Natsu couldn't put his finger on. It was as though a secret nestled just behind the man's lips.

"It will only take a moment. If you do not mind that is," Hitoshi said with a slight gesture to Lucy. She hadn't noticed the gesture but looked up into Natsu's eyes with concern. Natsu could tell that she wanted to see what Hitoshi wanted to show them. It had slightly annoyed him, but he could not disappoint his partner the way he seemed to have done. With a sigh he gestured for Hitoshi to continue. There was a glint in the militia man's eyes. If Natsu didn't know better he could have sworn it was possession. He would have to keep an eye on him during this feast.

He led the mages behind two larger buildings. Lucy gasped when they opened up to a forest of trees that were almost entirely red. Bright fertile fruit burst from their branches.

Hitoshi walked toward the nearest tree and plucked a larger berry from the branch. "This is our strawberry garden," he said. "They do not usually grow from trees, but our good doctor worked long and hard to produce these special berries." He handed the berry to Lucy brushing his hand against hers as he did. Natsu's eyes narrowed in his direction. Even though he was not making eye contact, he could tell what Hitoshi was up to. He stood uncomfortably behind them, his index finger finding a spot inside of his scaled scarf and tugged lightly. He watched as Lucy wrapped her full lips around the large fruit biting down. Natsu's eyes followed a trickle of juice that ran down her chin.

She grinned and extended her hand to allow him eat the rest. "These are wonderful! I've never tasted anything like it. Natsu, you have to try these!" He could feel Hitoshi's eyes and took it upon himself to take her attention from him. He would explain his feelings toward the man later. Slowly Natsu took Lucy's hand and brought the berry to his mouth. His lips wrapped around the fruit, taking in some of her fingertips before he pulled away. He ran a thumb down her chin to follow the trail that was left by the crimson juice, and hesitated over the fullness of her rosy bottom lip before pulling away.

"Delicious," he said softly. He left her hand in the air where she had fed him. He was satisfied with the dust of pink across her skin. Her eyes hooded slightly gazing into his. Natsu didn't even have to look over at their tour guide to know the face he must have been making.

Truthfully the strawberry was amazing. He had not let it show, but he had never tasted something so sweet. The taste wrapped around his tongue to savor it even after it was gone. He was satisfied to know that the strawberries had been the source of the scent around the property. Hitoshi did not continue his flirtatious behavior after that, but Natsu knew he would try something again if he was not careful. Hitoshi led him and Lucy back toward the largest building behind the walls. It towered over the rest and was fully decorated with red lights. They walked up the steps onto a porch that wrapped around the building.

Hitoshi stopped at the front door to open it. It slid easily across the wooden floor and revealed a hall of further doors. The walls were decorated in brightly painted pictures. There were many farmers and caravans. There was even a portrait that depicted a great deity coming down from a brightly painted pink sky with his arms bursting with fruitful crops. Hitoshi showed them to the very last door and opened it for them.

"This is where you will be staying. We apologize in advance that we could not acquire more than one room. The festival brings many important guests, and the rest of our palace is quite full."

"That's fine. Mages have to share rooms all the time," Lucy said feeling her skin warm again at the implication of her words.

"Yeah, but nothing beats your bed Lucy," Natsu said feigning an innocent smile in Hitoshi's direction.

The guide cleared his throat and bowed to the two. "I will leave you now. Feel free to take a walk about the palace; it is quite lively at night. The strawberries grow quickly and we implore you to eat some as our treat." Hitoshi did not say anything further and gave no room for the two to reply before walking away.

"That was weird."

"Let's see our room," Natsu said bounding through the door. There was a small table in the center of the large room. The whole room was decorated with paintings of different types of flowers. Lucy walked over to a closet door and slid it open to reveal their beds for the night folded up neatly. "Lucy, look at this!" She heard from across the room. Natsu had two paper doors wide open to reveal a large private porch and flower garden. Lucy walked out to find a tree that was red with berries. The limbs draped over a small koi pond much like the Sakura in their home of Magnolia. Exotic flowers that she couldn't name burst from every bush and bathed the space in a luxurious smell.

"This is insane," She commented.

"You're telling me," Natsu said. "The smell is making me dizzy, and these are massive fish. Good thing Happy didn't come with us this time. He would have a field day here." Lucy giggled and thought of their blue furred friend.

They agreed to visit the other buildings in hope of finding Lady Nakahara and thanking her for her generous hospitality. The sun's warm light had dipped below the hills around the palace and disappeared for the night. The cool glow of the moon replaced its light, and the palace glowed more than ever. With all of the tiny lights that decorated each building and the paint along their walls Lucy could feel the mood set by the atmosphere. It was not long after did the two come across a few people. Everyone wore formal attire that Lucy had only seen a few times. She thought back to her books and found herself in awe.

"I hope they don't want us to dress like that," Natsu said.

"I'm not sure, but they look nice."

"Why don't we find the building where the food will be?" He sniffed the air enthusiastically making Lucy smile. She watched his face in wonder of his usual playful demeanor. It had become her favorite thing to see, especially after their past adventures that were not always filled with happiness. "What?" Natsu asked. His words pulled Lucy from her daze. She shook her head to dismiss his concern.

"Nothing, let's find the food," she agreed moving quicker toward a near building. This one was also large and was distinguishably long.

The two had been wrapped up in their sightseeing and had not seen the larger set man and his blonde friend almost run into them. "Be careful you two," he chuckled. His larger belly shaking as he pulled the girl closer. She clung to him, looking into his face with blushed cheeks and glazed eyes. They couldn't help but notice that she was clinging to the man's wide open attire, exposing his bushy chest. "You might want to lay off of the strawberries."

"What do you mean?" Natsu asked eying the bushel of strawberries in the man's large hands.

"Oh you must be travelers!" The man said, his eyes sparkling with wonder. "We visit every year from the country of Lally. My name is Mercutio, and this lovely lady is Rosette." Even though he had introduced her the blonde did not look up from his face. Natsu arched a brow and frowned at the sight.

"Your friend okay?" He asked.

"Okay? She's marvelous!" Mercutio laughed loudly. "Anyway we'll see you inside. Don't forget to go to the tents. You two need to get dressed." Before Lucy could ask further about their attire Mercutio walked away, talking loudly about himself to his lady friend.

"What a weirdo," Natsu commented. Lucy nodded her head to agree. She found the tents that he had been talking about and pulled her partner in that direction. "What are you doing? I don't want to wear those."

"Oh come on we're guests. We should at least try to fit in," Lucy said. She had Natsu's wrist in her hand and continued to pull him without letting go. The warmth radiating from his skin did something to her that she couldn't place as she felt the dizzy feeling once again. The lights blurred into one another, but she continued to walk. Only when they approached the tents did she drop Natsu's wrist. "In you go!" she said playfully tossing him into the one that was labeled _males_. She laughed hearing his objections through the tent. The sound of other voices rose over his yelling and everything soon was quiet. Lucy took the opportunity and entered the next tent over for the ladies. There were two small women in their own plainer yukatas.

"Welcome," one greeted. Lucy was quickly ushered out of her clothing and into a wrap of different patterns. The women worked diligently to dress her, and even matched the colors to the clothes she had originally been wearing. Her yukata was a pale sky blue with patterns of delicate floral. They wrapped a belt around her waist in white and a thin band on top of gold. They let her regard herself in the mirror. Lucy's mind was flooded with a sense of nostalgia. She was often dressed by her family's servants with many different formal wear, but nothing like this. The two women complimented her on the fit and began to tie her hair up in a tousled bun. Two small strands of blonde hair fell nicely to frame her face. Before Lucy could walk out of the tent the two women eyed her. The taller of the two nodded in approval, but the other continued to look at her hair.

"Is there something wrong?" Lucy asked timidly looking in the mirror. She wasn't sure what it could be. Her hair looked better than she could ever tie it up herself. The shorter woman's eyes brightened and she ran to a chest to look inside. She pulled out a small decorative comb with intricate patterns of blue gemmed flowers.

"Would you please lower your head?" The woman asked politely. Lucy could do nothing but oblige as the woman tucked it nicely to the side of her bun. The taller woman handed her a small drawstring bag that matched the blue floral pattern of her yukata, and a pair of sandals. Lucy looked around for her clothes anxiously. "Your keys are inside the bag," she said. Lucy thanked the women for their assistance. She took a breath before exiting the tent. Her soft brown eyes adjusted to the sudden bright red lights of the palace. Her gaze met with that of deep green. She couldn't quite place Natsu in a fancy place like this before when he was in his normal attire, but in his solid black yukata he looked like an absolute prince. The band around his waist was a bright gold and the front of his yukata was open slightly. She assumed it was comfortable to him, and exposed his chiseled muscles. She observed immediately that he had his scarf still securely wrapped around his neck. It dangled casually down his back.

"They tried to dress me in white," he complained. "It would have looked so weird with my scarf don't they know that?" Lucy burst into laughter. She would expect nothing else from Natsu than a comment like that.

"I guess not," she replied. His features softened at the sound of her laughter. Natsu liked how Lucy looked in the yukata. He thought she looked as though she belonged in it. The material hugged every curve of her body, her large breasts unable to be tamed by the fabric. The night felt bizarre to him. The smells blended together and the people were laughing from inside the longer building, all of it wrapped around him. He could feel a heat spread throughout his body as the night passed. His eyes always seemed to find Lucy. "Let's go," she said linking her arm with his. Something felt off about the celebration, but seeing Lucy so eager and close to him, he didn't seem to care.

They were ushered into the building by two males in militia attire they had seen on Hitoshi. The doors were similar to the ones that led them to their quarters. Intricate designs twisted around the entire property. Natsu and Lucy were met by a smaller man with a clip board behind the doors.

"Names," he asked. They observed his balding head and massive glasses that barely hung from his slim nose.

"Heartfilia and Dragneel," Lucy replied remembering many banquets with her family that began this way.

"Introducing," a voice boomed over a lacrima, "Lucy Heartfilia and Natsu Dragneel of Fairy Tail." Many guests turned their head in the lobby to see who would enter. A few people began to whisper. Others did not seem to care and simply talked with their acquaintances as they ate strawberries. Natsu flinched slightly, overwhelmed from the sound and the sudden whispers invading his ears. Lucy looked up at him to notice his subtle movement.

"Its fine, just follow me," Lucy whispered in his ear. She had felt his muscles stiffen and pulled his arm closer to her. He closed his eyes focusing on only Lucy. The way her voice pitched softly when she was concerned. The way her breathes came out like a breeze and her steady pulse. He focused on her alone and opened his eyes. Natsu could feel his muscles ease as they walked forward. He couldn't understand why he couldn't control his senses as he did usually. He had decided to put those thoughts aside and focus on finding food instead. Multiple servants strolled around with trays piled high with the never ending red fruit.

"Strawberry sir?" one of them asked Natsu. He took a few and gave some to Lucy as they continued to find the door to the banquet.

He looked down at the berries in his hand. "I hope the food isn't just a bunch of strawberries," he frowned. Lucy laughed and took a slow bite of the fruit. Natsu couldn't help but watch again as her lips curled around it. He took his own strawberry, eating it in one bite. He hoped his own crunch would mask her sigh. He could tell she had enjoyed what she tasted, and it drove him crazy. The noises she made did something to him he couldn't quite place.

The entrance into the banquet was large with similar paintings to the ones they had seen in the halls of the living quarters. The art now depicted a celebration with many different visitors. Lucy was in awe by the place as she munched on another strawberry. She could feel her head lighten again and her body sway next to Natsu. She leaned slightly into him not noticing her chest pressing against his arm. Natsu shoveled another berry into his mouth. He got a good eye full of her ample cleavage before someone cleared their throat from in front of them. Natsu immediately looked up hoping no one saw his eyes.

"I just have to say Lady Nakahara has invited many guests to the festival, but never mages as famous as you both," a woman gushed from in front of them. Her yukata was similar to Lucy's except that she wore loud colors and tons of decorations in her hair. Natsu liked Lucy's better, at least hers didn't hurt his eyes.

"Famous?" Natsu questioned.

"Well of course everyone knows the famous summoner and flame dragon slayer of Fairy Tail. I thought your fight especially was riveting," she said placing a hand over his other arm and stroked softly. Her eyes hooded as she bit her lip slowly for him to see.

"It was nice to meet you," Lucy chimed in. She could feel her happy daze lift from the sexual display. " We really have to see Lady Nakahara."

"Of course," the woman said. She dropped her hand from Natsu, but not before winking in his direction.

"What is wrong with everybody?" Lucy asked.

"They all just started their party early I guess," he said between bites.

"She was falling all over you, and the man outside with the drunk woman."

"Can't forget Hitoshi," he added. Lucy looked up at him curiously.

"You can't tell me you didn't notice him drooling all over you. Too intense if you ask me."

"There was no drooling!" Lucy glared at him but kept their arms linked afraid that she would acquire her happy daze and drift away, "at least he wasn't drunk." She couldn't tell what irritated her more, the fact that he complained about Hitoshi's flirting, or that Natsu's expression made her believe he didn't seem to care.

Instead of arguing further they munched on strawberries. Servants opened the doors to reveal a massive dining area. There was an extremely long table covered in guests. The room was loud from laughter and the clanking of dishes. Natsu's mouth watered, the scent of food wrapped around his strong sense of smell. There were many dishes that seemed to appear as if from thin air. Some of them he couldn't even place. The table was low and everyone sat on soft cushions. Servants were everywhere replacing meals and filling empty glasses.

They looked down the row and found the head of the table. Lady Nakahara was truly beautiful her yukata was much longer and flowed around her like a sea of fabric. Her long black hair cascaded around her womanly figure. A golden headdress topped her head, an alter table sat behind her with intricate painted designs. Lucy pulled Natsu toward Lady Nakahara and was met with many drunken cheers and stares from guests. Apparently the lady outside had been right about their fame. When Lady Nakahara saw the two walking toward her eyes lit up with excitement.

"I'm so glad you could make it! I hope the trip to escort our dear doctor was not too strenuous," she said. Her soft voice was soothing to Natsu compared to the rest of the table. "Please sit down I have saved you a seat."

Sure enough there were two seats open. Natsu felt his blood boil when he noticed that the seat closest to the Lady sat Hitoshi. Wasting no time he sat directly next to him insuring that Lucy would be nowhere near him. Natsu still found there to be something odd about the man and did not trust him next to his partner. He glared in Hitoshi's direction before turning back to Lady Nakahara. Her large eyes widened by Natsu's display and her excitement seemed to soar. Lucy sat down beside Natsu and found the larger round man sat beside her. He had two full plates in front of him. One was full of the never ending food, the other with strawberries.

"Hello Mercutio," she greeted.

"Miss Heartfilia! How wonderful that we are next to each other this night," he chuckled kindly. "I knew she would have you two sitting so close to her."

"What do you mean?"

"Have you not noticed by now? Lady Nakahara has adored you two since she watched you both on the grand magic games," this time he laughed and shook the table. His date was passed out and sleeping soundly next to him. "I was invited here during the last games. It was truly a remarkable display." Lucy could feel her chest warm in pride for her guild. She looked over to where Lady Nakahara was. She had tossed her long hair over her shoulder as she laughed at something Natsu said to her. Apparently she was great conversation, because Natsu had gotten caught up in some story of their adventures. Lucy could hear her "ohs" and "ahs" at each interesting development he added. Lucy couldn't help but watch his face light up as he told his story.

Lucy could feel the noises around her and the warm atmosphere. She grabbed another strawberry and munched on it lazily. Conversation had come easy especially next to Mercutio, who seemed to know the whole table. There was soon a fog over her thoughts as she laughed and told stories with her partner. Soon she could feel her stress carried away with the scent of strawberries.


	2. Chapter 2

The room around them burst in laughter. Their voices blurred into a chorus of pleasant sound. Natsu had stood up on the table, careful over plates and cups. By request he had been reenacting his fight with Sting and Rogue from the grand magic games. His scarf sat snuggly in Lucy's lap as she leaned into her palm and laughed. She sat at the table, pink stained across her lips and fingertips, like everyone else in the room. Lucy watched Natsu position himself in different attack poses.

"I told them," he continued. He lowered his voice, his eyes burning with enthusiasm. "I can see through all of your little habits, your attack timing, your posture, your defense." The table erupted in cheers. The grin on his face infectious as she observed it spread through the room. Lucy found herself stroking the scarf between two fingers as he recalled his encounter. He had tossed the top half of his yukata so it hung at his waist. His chiseled torso was bare before the table. Her eyes travelled across his skin. His story and the chatter bounced around the table, becoming white noise.

It was Lady Nakahara who had suggested the performance. Natsu could do no other than oblige their host. The table had insisted, and Lucy knew how cocky he could be at times. She was surprised by some of the behavior that they had witnessed when she discovered that no alcohol was being served for the festivities. She could even feel her head lighten as the night drew on. Lucy was full from dessert, and it was a wonder the kitchen didn't run out of food with the way Natsu ate. She wondered then, as his muscles gleam from the warm bright lights above him, where he even put it all.

Lucy remembered asking him once. They had trained together in the spring. The air was crisp and the docks of Magnolia rang with the catch of the season. They had been together all day training, since he had begged her to join Happy and him. She had always refused. She wanted nothing to do with his freak training regimen. It was when Natsu was doing pullups on a tall sturdy tree branch that the question crossed her mind. They had just finished their run, and he had tossed his scarf around his forehead, his vest lay on the ground beneath his feet. She had sat in the grass to cool down and listened to her partner. He had been going on about a duel with Erza, but Lucy heard none of it. She couldn't take her eyes off of the rise and fall of his chest. Her eyes trailed the shadows and curves of his flat stomach, along his jaw line, and swept across his open mouth. His pointed canines peeked out just below his upper lip, and she could see them clearer when he bit at the lower one. That was when she asked him, unaware that she had cut him off mid-sentence. He stopped his pullups and hung from the branch by his hands, his knuckles white from the weight.

"You eat more than anyone else I know. Where does it even go?"

"It's all that dragon fire," he laughed and swung his legs beneath him, rocking back and forth on the branch. He found enough momentum to let go and land in front of his partner. He had attempted to stand up but found himself falling forward. They both yelped when he caught his weight on his palms. His nose pressed against hers. Lucy opened her eyes slowly to find him only inches from her mouth. They sat together for a few breaths in silence. The spring sang around them, just a glimpse of the coming summer heat. She had realized then she wouldn't have minded if he had bent down a little farther. Of course nothing like that happened. She didn't think it would have happened anyway, even if Happy hadn't showed up to distract them.

Lucy's brown eyes looked up past thick lashes at her partner, his reenactment still received a lot of attention. Some of the circular windows were open now, allowing the evening air in, it carried with it the soft sounds of music from another building. It was as though the festival was bursting through the walls and seams of the lavished home. Lucy's mind continued on its twisted trail of thoughts she had been careful to lock away. She thought of Fairy Tail as family from the beginning, Natsu remaining a large part of that family. For all she cared they could stay friends forever. But sometimes, somewhere pushed to the far reaches of her mind, the thought crept in. They could be more.

"Hey Lucy, come be Sting really quick!" his voice rang out, urging the thought back into the shadows where it waited.

"What? No way," she refused. Natsu's face fell as he studied his best friend. It was just like her to refuse one of his requests. He wanted her help, but mostly he wanted her closer. It was a feeling he knew well, although never this strongly. Her eyes had not left him since his skit began, and he was fully aware of it. He had walked across the long table, crouched down in front of her, to extend a hand.

"Come on Lucy," he said, "it's no fun without you." His smile was reassuring and comfortable to her. Lucy sat up to take his hand cautiously. Natsu pulled her to her feet and helped her up on the table. There she stood in front of everyone with her hand cupped in his palm. It was then all the white noise surfaced to the forefront of her mind. The gazes appeared to be everywhere, some had watched their full exchange and now clapped for more, and others were busy in their own conversations.

Natsu took Lucy by the shoulders and moved her back a few steps where some servants had cleared the table for them. He pulled his scarf from her hands and wrapped it around her neck. He watched her hand pull the fabric closer to her, covering her mouth and nose. If he listened closely he could hear her inhale. If he took a second to catch it he could see her cheeks warm. Usually he would have been confused by her bold behavior, but it thrilled him to see her half lidded eyes upturned from his scarf. A heat spread through his stomach and wrapped around the fast pace of his pulse. It wasn't until he heard Hitoshi clear his throat from behind him that he remembered where they were. Natsu slid his hand from Lucy's. "Try to come at me swinging," he whispered to her and took a step back. She opened her mouth to protest, but she knew she had agreed to do whatever he said by getting up from her seat. "So," he continued for the room, "my favorite part was the beginning of the fight when I caught one of Sting's dragon punches."

He focused his attention on Lucy and her incoming attack. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. It would take some concentration to do so, since his senses didn't seem as sharp as usual. Natsu watched her square her shoulders and form fists at her side. It was only a moment, a fraction of a second he was distracted as she raised her hands up. Lucy's gaze had been so intense, so ready to strike him. It was that intensity that always took his breath away. Even though he had forced her to join him she still jumped right in with him, into all his adventures. His best friend was beautiful. Her cheeks flushed and lips stained. He watched a spark in her eyes. Lucy wouldn't disappoint him with some puny punch.

And Natsu was correct, for her knuckles collided with his cheek. A loud grunt escaped his throat before he could hold back, or block her attack. His feet stumbled beneath him. He almost landed right in an older gentleman's lap. His back hit the wooden table and shook everything on top. Lady Nakahara was on her feet immediately giving orders to her servants. The room grew still, the atmosphere shifting to alarm.

"I'm okay, I'm okay," Natsu began to reassure them. A free hand waved into the air for the men to stand down. His other hand clasped to his battered cheek. Lucy stood above him, her fist floating in midair where it had collided with his face. Her eyes were wide, eyeing the empty space where Natsu once stood. It wasn't until he burst into laughter that she looked down at him. The room watched him laugh and point up at Lucy's stunned face. Some of the guests looked to one another with concern. Whispers of a possible concussion travelled down the table.

"Someone, help him up," Lady Nakahara insisted. Realization struck Lucy as she eyed the welt forming beneath his fingertips. She was at his side quickly and pulled his hand away. She leaned in closely to see the redness spreading up his cheek.

"Lucy?" Natsu lay still beneath her. She was close enough that he could pick up the soft scent of her skin. He could hear her heart pounding rapidly in her chest. It was odd how the sound echoed through his ears, so aware of her closeness.

"Are you an idiot?" she asked.

"What?" he said, his eyes narrowed up at her, "You were the one who hit me!"

"Shall I call for a physician?" Lady Nakahara asked from where she stood at the head of the table. The two were startled by her sharp voice, an authority in her eyes. She was like another person. Lucy could see why she was so admired by the people in her care. When it mattered, she could see such a woman taking on great responsibility.

"I'm fine," Natsu assured.

Lucy moved to the side and helped him sit up. "Thank you for your hospitality Lady Nakahara, but I think he'll be fine. This knuckle head has had worse bruises from me," She said. Natsu nodded along and allowed her to steer him toward the edge of the table. "I think we'll turn in after all of that." Lucy thanked the room and bowed politely to their host. Lady Nakahara sat down and watched them make their way out of the room, a smirk crossed her lips and a shimmer caught her eye.

"Are you sure it is okay?" Hitoshi whispered beside her.

"Let them be," she ordered.

"You could have moved!" Lucy lectured to Natsu as they exited the larger building.

"You were so fast!" he complained. Natsu applied soft pressure to his cheek, wincing when it stung. Lucy eyed his expression. The guilt she felt continued to grow.

"I'll see if they have ice in our room," she said. The estate, with its light atmosphere and sparkling lights, felt less peaceful than when they had first arrived. It only reminded her that they weren't home. Their guild felt far away—the air colder on the bare paths. The noises from the main building dying away as they neared their quarters. They continued through the halls in silence. Natsu pulling open the door to their room. "Uh, is there any lights in here?" Lucy groped around the room for a light switch.

"Nothing over here," Natsu called from the other side.

"Where are you?" she asked moving toward his voice. The panic from her lack of sight rose in her throat. "I can't see a damn thing in here." Her fingers grasped warm fabric as her eyes were bombarded by light. The smell of fresh flowers and fruit filled the air.

"There," Natsu said, "no more dark." He had slid open the paper doors to the private porch. The moon outside was bright enough to light the room. The crimson glow from the lights around the building bounced across the once hidden furniture. It was just as they had left it. The bowl of strawberries lay on the table, the floral art shrouded in shadow. Natsu looked down at Lucy's hand, clutched tightly to his yukata sleeve. "You okay?" he asked.

"Better now," she admitted. She took her hand away from his sleeve, and glanced up at the moon. It loomed above them, as though she could reach up and touch it. "It's like the moon is really close to us. Like we're in the sky." Natsu watched her face, her features soft and distracted by the moon in the distance.

"Yeah," he agreed.

"You're not even looking."

"Sure I am."

"Natsu, I can see you aren't looking at the sky," Lucy objected. He looked different to her then. Maybe, she thought, it was his yukata. Maybe it was the rose tinted light against his cherry colored hair. There was something different, like a dream in the sky. "Natsu?"

"But I am," he replied. He wasn't sure what made him do it. Natsu was always known for his impulsive behavior when he was serious about something. Usually he was riding into battle for his guild, but this was different. It wasn't a sense of justice he was searching for. He leaned in, taking the hand that had released his sleeve. He pulled her to him, pressing his lips to hers. He was prepared to release her hand when she kicked him. He was ready for her to yell loudly about what a pervert he was. But Natsu wasn't ready for Lucy to kiss back. His other arm slid around her waist to pull her closer. Her scent mingled with the breeze from outside the open door. A soft exhale escaped her when Natsu urged her lips to part with his. Their kiss was demanding, taking more and more of each other in.

Lucy never knew how hot his breath was until they kissed, his tongue a blaze in her mouth. She was not worried, as she thought she would be. No more were the thoughts of breaking up a friendship. She wanted more of this. One hand pressed against the back of his neck, pulling him closer. She felt his fingers pull his scarf from around her neck, her bag of keys slipping to the floor. Her hips pressed against his, and his hand spread against her back. Her skin sang for the warmth it felt through her yukata. His lips released her, tracking kisses to her cheek, down her jaw to the dip of her neck. Lucy let out a sigh. His tongue swirled against the skin that called for more. His hand let go of hers and lazily found the wrap at the front of her yukata, tugging at it to release her. She felt the fabric drop to the floor, his hand dipping in. She shivered at the heat of his palm spread flat against her stomach. Natsu's hand took her hips, brushing against her lace underwear. His fingers tangled in the band before releasing them. His mouth found hers again, taking in her breath when his fingers traced her thigh. She groaned into his mouth at the tightness she felt between them. Her heart pounded in her ears.

Natsu led her to the soft mat of the floor. The fabric around her fell open. He let one finger make small circles against her thighs. His other hand dipped into the cup of her bra. Lucy shuddered against his mouth. He let his thumb graze her nipple, feeling it peak beneath him. Her hands moved to explore him. Her fingers trailed down his chest to his sides. He groaned as she dug her fingertips, and dragged them down to his hips. Natsu moved his hand up from her thigh, and pulled again at her waistband. His fingers barely dipped into the fabric. Lucy let out another sigh before Natsu stilled.

"Why did you stop?" she asked. His gaze was fixed to the far wall. "Hey, Natsu," she continued. His eyes instead widened, his frame turned toward the open screen door. He stood up so his body was placed between hers and the open sliding doors.

"Lucy, don't move," he insisted. Lucy wrapped the open fabric around her exposed body, but did not move from the floor. Instead her gaze travelled along the shadows of the room. She could hear Natsu above her as he scented the air.

"Come out," he said to the darkness, "I know you're there." Natsu sniffed the air again, but caught no scent over the stronger smell of fruit. His senses had yet to return to normal. He knew he had heard something on the porch. He recalled stepping outside when they had first arrived in the room, at the creak of a certain floor board. It was faint, and even then he questioned whether someone was really there.

It was faster than he could see. The slight form bounded across the wall. He called for Lucy to stay down as he moved to face the intruder. It was Lucy's brown eyes he met instead, held up to stand by the open paper doors. How the figure had seized her so fast, and took her without a sound, was beyond him. A small blade was pressed to her throat. Natsu let out a soft curse, noticing her slender hand grabbing for something at her hip that wasn't there. The swelling panic built in her eyes. He knew then she didn't have her keys. He couldn't make out the person behind her. The light from the moon darkened their face. Natsu could feel the flames licking across his knuckles. He lunged forward with as much agility as he could muster. Instead of the soft feeling of flesh beneath his clenched fingers, he only felt air. They were alone again. Lucy stumbled forward, away from the porch, her hand clutched to her neck.

"What the hell was that?" Natsu said.

"Someone was trying to kill us," Lucy replied, "We have to tell Lady Nakahara immediately." She stepped past him and bent over to take the wrap for her yukata.

"Lucy, wait. What if she was behind this?"

"Why would she be behind an assassination attempt?"

"Why not? This whole mission has been strange from the start!"

"There are a lot of guests here, Natsu. It could have been anyone," Lucy said. She tied her yukata back together, not deterring from her path to speak to the lady of the residence.

"Lucy, listen to me. If that woman wasn't behind all of this then who? For all we know that person just now could have been her henchman."

"Henchman? What year are we in?"

"I knew Hitoshi was bad news since I met him."

"Hitoshi? He was flirtatious but not murderous. Besides, he had plenty of moments that he could have hurt us. Why wouldn't he have tried then? They wouldn't just wine and dine us just to kill us."

"Wine," Natsu said, "Lucy, the strawberries." He grabbed her shoulders, looking her in the eye. "You can't tell me this whole thing doesn't sound fishy to you? Ever since we started eating those strawberries my senses haven't been right. I couldn't smell them at all. I'm surprised I heard them, I have been bombarded with sound all night." Lucy didn't reply. She had to admit that the whole thing sounded convincing coming from Natsu, who she trusted with her life. Plus, she couldn't ignore the way she had been feeling after eating the fruit.

"What about motive?" she asked. Natsu let his arms drop. He hadn't thought about motive. Instead, his thoughts were fixed to the idea that someone almost killed Lucy. "Exactly," she said to his silence.

"We have to leave," he stated.

"And leave all these people around an assassin? That's dangerous."

"For who? They were after us after all."

"What if we aren't their only target?" The whole thing was starting to make Lucy's head spin. She never thought something like this would happen. Not only was there someone on the property ready to murder them, but now they had to figure out who it was. Natsu picked up his scarf and wrapped it around his neck. He let his index finger slide inside it and tug. Lucy watched his fingers fidget the way he always did. She felt the warmth on her face, recalling where those fingers had almost been. "Natsu, we have to find out who's out to kill us, and why."


	3. Chapter 3

Lucy allowed her feet to dangle over the porch. A steaming tea cup clutched in her hands warmed her palms. The peeking sun rose above the hills, and all was light again. She took a sip thankful that their room faced the sunrise. Lucy lay the cup down beside her. A brewed pot of tea and empty cup sat near her. She ran a hand through her golden hair allowing it to fall over her shoulders and brush her lower back. She shivered from the sensation. It brought back the vivid memories of the night. Natsu's burning hands against her skin—his lips on her neck. Lucy wrapped her silky robe tighter around her body. She would have to forget all of that now that there was a killer after them. She looked down into the koi pond near her feet. The warm colored fins of the koi dashing in and around one another in a dizzying dance. The assassin could have killed her. The sensation of metal against her throat still lingered. She found her hand stroking her skin. The looming dread of another encounter haunted her.

"Some view," Natsu said behind her, "I would enjoy it more if we weren't in danger." She looked up into his eyes filled with concern. Lucy wondered how long he had been standing there watching her worry to the sun.

"Tea?" she offered, and gestured to the spare cup. He sat down beside her and poured some for himself. She could tell he had not slept since they had switched shifts. Purple shadows ringed his eyes, and he yawned loudly as he poured. One of them had stayed up in case the assassin returned while the other one slept. She had to admit she had hardly slept herself. Her eyes traveled up his toned arm and fell at his guild mark. "I still think we have to tell Lady Nakahara," she said. Natsu sighed in return.

"What if she is behind this?" She watched his jaw tighten and relax. He had attempted to run after the shadowed attacker, but Lucy had stopped him. The strawberries made it impossible for him to track them. The night had been thick with worry, and his tension had only clouded his judgement.

"I don't think she is," she replied, her eyes pleaded with him. "She could stop this gathering and send everyone home. She might even have an idea about who is behind this. We'd be back in Magnolia this time tomorrow." He had to admit that what she offered was tempting, but he couldn't shake his growing concern. He didn't want to bring it up with her again—he couldn't trust Hitoshi. There was something off about the guy. Lucy knew the answer from the mounting silence. "Can we at least get breakfast?"

"What, with that person still out there?"

"Maybe this is the best time to find out who is behind this," she said, "They might not even show up for breakfast, afraid they would be spotted."

"So, the missing person might be the one we're looking for?"

"It's a theory and a start to finding out who was here last night." Lucy raised her tea cup to her lips and downed the rest of its contents. She stood up without more argument and moved inside to dress. Natsu kept his gaze forward hearing the fabric hit the floor behind him. If he closed his eyes he could imagine they were at her apartment. He could be sitting down on her window sill listening to the harbor as the ships came in. She would be bitching behind him about keeping his eyes straight ahead as she changed clothes. He grinned thinking of home.

"Okay I'll head there first," she said. Natsu whipped his head around. He was thankful that she was dressed.

"What? No, we shouldn't separate. They could pick us off easier that way."

"I thought you didn't want to go to breakfast," she said, like a statement rather than a question. He narrowed his eyes in her direction. Lucy had always been stubborn. Natsu took the tea back to the little table in the room. He had already dressed before meeting her on the porch. He felt comforted by their usual attire. It continued to remind him of home. He could smell her hair as she tossed it over her shoulder. It was the smell of salty seas and hard wood from guilds that never silenced. He had smelt it a hundred times, but now felt different. The lingering scent mixed in a way that was only Lucy. He was homesick more than ever, but he was happy with her.

Natsu grumbled beside her as they made their way to the dining hall from last night. The smell of strawberries was stronger as they approached the hall. His senses were sharper today, but he feared he would lose control.

"We'll be vulnerable here," he said, "These strawberries are everywhere."

"They can't attack us in broad daylight, in front of an audience," she replied. Lucy was as concerned as Natsu of their safety. She would not allow herself to show it. It would put Natsu on edge, and they were already in trouble. She was more concerned about the other guests on the property anyway. They had no idea that there was a killer on the loose. She was glad; however, that the day was as lovely as it was. The trees tossed in the summer breeze made the sound of rustling paper. It whipped the smell of strawberries around them. Everything felt lighter. The sun looked as though it bounced around in the clouds.

"Lucy," Natsu said. He had been calling out to her as they neared the familiar building. "Are you sure you'll be okay?" He would not hesitate to take them back to the room, or even leave. He watched her eyes focus on his mouth then flick up to his eyes.

"I'm fine," she said, not sure if she believed it.

The inside was just as they had left it. The servants that dashed around the night before seemed relaxed. Their uniforms were not as dressy, and their smiles appeared genuine as they walked through the doors. The table was dressed for breakfast. Many different types of foods lay before them. Some foods she could not even place. A few different types of fish caught her eyes. They reminded her of some that she had seen on the docks of Magnolia. The plates and cutlery looked as though they were antiques. She noticed the soft palette of rose golds and pastel pinks. Cherry blossoms sprinkled in and around the table.

"Lucy! Natsu!" Lucy heard the voice call them from across the table. Lady Nakahara sat in her place at the head of the table. Lucy was again reminded of how breathtaking the woman was. Her long black hair was half up, tied in a small bun on her head. The rest of her hair fell around her. Unlike the dress and fancy headdress from last night, her outfit appeared simple. Her modest pink summer dress matched the décor. Behind her was a large branch from a cherry blossom tree. Lucy wondered how she had acquired the blossoms during this time of year. The duo made their way to the end of the table where they were beckoned. They could feel the constant eyes of the table upon them. Like the night before, though everyone appeared much more tired and sickly from the intoxicating night. Lady Nakahara patted the seat beside her for Lucy to sit. Her smile was kind and she appeared sincerely pleased by their presence. Lucy glanced in Natsu's direction to see what he made of it. He only shrugged and walked in front of her. He took a seat in one of the empty seats. Lucy sat down in the spot Lady Nakahara left open for her beside Natsu.

"I do hope you had a good time here last night," she said. There was positively a giggle in the woman's voice.

"We did actually," Lucy replied, it wasn't a lie after all.

"I'm so glad." The woman clasped her hands together. Her eyes darted between Lucy and Natsu. It was as if she were looking for the duo to make some announcement. Lucy turned her head when she heard her name called across the table. Mercutio sat in the middle with his massive arm waving in their direction. She noticed the absence of his young blonde friend. They both smiled and returned his wave. An arm came around from behind them to fill their glasses with a light pink drink. Lucy glanced down the table at the rest of the guests gorging themselves on the delicious looking food.

"Something wrong with the food, Natsu? After last night, I assumed you would be eating more," Lady Nakahara commented. The lady's gaze continued to dash between the two mages with apprehension. Lucy could feel Natsu's tension. She nudged him gently when she noticed he wasn't paying attention to her question about the food.

"Don't worry about me. I never say no to a feast," he said. He began shoveling food onto his plate as he usually did. Lucy couldn't help but feel concern. He must have been looking for their attacker, or the absence of. There were quite a few people missing from the table.

"Um, Lady Nakahara? There are some people missing this morning," she commented.

"I'm not surprised," she giggled, "Everyone was a little intoxicated with each other, weren't they?"

"Because of the strawberries?" Natsu asked bluntly.

"Oh, so you noticed." Lady Nakahara leaned in closer to Lucy like a friend divulging an important secret. "I noticed you and Natsu had quite a few strawberries yourselves." It was an innocent enough question, but Lucy had the feeling that what Mercutio said last night was true. She found herself glancing in the larger man's direction. He was eyeing the two of them talking, and with a look at her face he began to laugh. This woman wanted her and Natsu to be together so bad she would get them drunk on strawberries to do it. Who knew what else she might try to do.

"Yes, but that makes me glad we ended up going to bed early."

"I bet you did," Lady Nakahara giggled. No matter how kind this woman was to Lucy, there was no way she would tell her what transpired between her and Natsu.

"We slept comfortably, thank you." She wanted nothing more than to cut the conversation short. It was then Lucy really got a look at the woman beside her. Her focus was completely on Lucy and Natsu. Her elbows rested on the table, and her hands cupped her chin in a way that reminded Lucy of a small child. She had the sudden realization. There was no way this giggling matchmaker would send an assassin to kill them. "Would you mind if me and Natsu talked to you after dinner? It is important and concerns your safety." Lady Nakahara's eyes widened.

"Certainly," she replied, "I must stay until the rest of my guests have left for the afternoon activities, but I will meet with you." Her tone was more serious than Lucy thought it would be. She felt a warm hand grip her arm.

"Natsu!"

"I need to talk to you," he said, his tone clipped. She couldn't see his face as he tugged her toward the exit, but she knew what his expression would be. When they made it outside of the dining hall he whirled her around to meet his eyes. Sure enough, she watched his brows knit together with his frown.

"Are you insane?" he asked.

"There is no way that woman is trying to kill us," she replied, before speaking under her breath, "Though, I think she would kill someone just to get us together."

"We said we weren't going to tell her! Even if she had no idea who was behind this, the culprit could be someone working under her." Lucy was thankful he did not mention Hitoshi again. It really could be anyone. If Natsu was too fixated on the man it would only cause the two more trouble.

"We'll tell her that when we speak to her privately," she reasoned.

"There is no arguing with you on this is there?"

"You know me well."

"I hope you're right, Lucy," he said, "At least let me question her before we tell her what's going on."

"Deal," she said, without a second thought. Natsu walked in first, and kept the door open for her. This did not go unnoticed by Lady Nakahara who had kept a watchful eye on the door.

"Interesting conversation?" she asked the two. A few people had walked in late, while others filed out. Everyone looked exhausted. They shuffled their feet, yawned, and rubbed their eyes with lingering sleep. Mercutio was louder than everyone else at the table. Lucy could tell some people did not find the man entertaining, while others laughed and joined in with him. It was an infectious calming mood around the table. If Lucy had not been attacked just that night, the scene would have soothed her. Natsu appeared to have his appetite back, as he threw back many plates of food. Unlike the night before; however, he did not speak to anyone. Everyone else seemed to be aware of his sour mood and avoided conversation. It made for quite a lonely meal for Lucy. If Lady Nakahara wasn't speaking with her she was having a conversation with someone who walked up to her. Usually, from what Lucy could gleam, the conversations were mostly political small talk or just formal and polite greetings. Lucy took her last sips of her pink drink and eyed her empty plates. "Why don't you both take a walk around the grounds while you wait for me? The residence is lovely this time of year," Lady Nakahara suggested, her smile was warm and inviting. Lucy glanced to Natsu who seemed finished with his own meal.

She was right of course. The path behind the dining hall rose over a hill that overlooked the entire estate. The bright green trees were speckled with red. The sun appeared to hug every building in warm light. Laughter and soft voices could be heard from where they stood. The plains beyond the walls rolled and tumbled with the summer breeze. They found the highest point. Lucy sat in the grass—her knees up to her chin. Natsu stood above her and stretched his arms out in a relaxed manner. It was the first time all day that he had felt at ease. The mood had lifted the instant they were away from everyone.

"It's beautiful," she commented.

"I hope you're right about this woman," Natsu said, "I do trust you."

"Thanks, Natsu." She smiled up at her partner as the sun rose higher. It really was a stunning piece of land. She wondered what all the buildings were for. She assumed some of them must have been Lady Nakahara's own residence. Some could have been worker's quarters. There was a smaller building behind the one that held their rooms. Lucy noticed the rising smoke from behind it and was curious as to what it could be. "What is that building over there?" she asked, "There's smoke coming from behind it." Natsu studied the smoke that she referred to and grinned. Wisps of clean white vapor rose and dissipated into the air.

"I know smoke anywhere," he said, "And that's not smoke. It's steam." Lucy squinted in at the building below. "Probably a bath house or something." At this her eyes widened.

"Bath?" She said with enthusiasm. Natsu instantly regretted mentioning a possible bath. For whatever reason, he knew she was obsessed with them. He looked down at her and raised a brow. Her eyes lit up as she inspected the building. He was surprised to find himself calm. Natsu felt it then, like a weight floating off his shoulders. His mind swayed like the tossing grass. His senses must have been betraying him. Lucy's scent was everywhere. It was all he could smell, and he couldn't understand why. At this, he peered down at his partner. He followed the curve of her arm as she brushed a hand through her hair. He was reminded how soft and feminine she was. Almost more so as she sat below him in the sun. He wanted to tell her that the bath was a bad idea. He wanted to say that they shouldn't split up because of the attempt on their lives. But, the excitement in her eyes compelled him to remain silent. There was something about that moment of peace that he wanted to protect. "Natsu, let's go check it out!" He could almost smell her excitement.

Lucy jumped to her feet, and brushed off some grass from her skirt. She looked up at Natsu and nearly lost her balance. His eyes darkened and fixated on her mouth. "Natsu, are you okay?" she asked. She watched him blink a few times. Deep green returned to his eyes. He shook his head, as if to clear a deep thought.

"I'm fine," he replied. He began to amble toward the building. "Better keep up!" Lucy raised her brows after his behavior. The look she had just witnessed was like the ones he gave her the night before. It wasn't like they had been eating strawberries. Lucy decided she shouldn't worry. With a shrug, she walked on behind him.

Just as Natsu had predicted, the building in question was a bath house. A smile spread over Lucy's face as she dashed inside. The room was small with a closet and a shelf to leave their shoes. The hall before them led into two dressing rooms. Lucy assumed one was male and one was female. She glanced toward Natsu who was inspecting the closet filled with folded yukata. He held the soft fabric up and ran it through his fingers. She knew that if she was going to convince Natsu, to allow her out of his sight long enough to bathe, she had to do it now.

"There should be a wall between us in case something happens we can hear it," Lucy reasoned. She had a feeling he would reject the idea over safety, but was surprised when he nodded.

"Sounds good to me," he said. She watched him take the yukata and walk into the male changing rooms. _Lucky._ She didn't know why Natsu was suddenly easygoing again, but she didn't want to question it. There was a hot bath in her future and she was elated. She hurried to the closet to grab her yukata. The dressing room smelt like floral perfume, and the wood beneath her feet was damp from steam. She found the toiletries and wrapped a towel around her. She stopped at the sliding doors with a realization. She would not get to see any of it, but Natsu would be naked. He would be nude. He would be chest deep in hot water with droplets running down his—what was she thinking? She shook her head. Where did the thought come from? Well, she knew where it came from. This was the first time she wasn't thinking about a killer. It was the first time the events from last night sank in like a stone. They had almost—She had almost— _Oh god._ She slapped the sides of her face in hopes it would rattle the thought from her head. Lucy reached out and slid opened the frosted glass doors.

The first thing she noticed about the hot spring was the beautiful view. The sun was beginning to rise higher in the sky. She noticed the wild plants in and around the rocky spring. The tops of strawberry trees could be seen just beyond the high fencing. The sound of rushing water was soothing to her. The spring was clear and she could see the rocks at the bottom. The next thing she noticed was the shower area. There were wooden stools below the running showers. But, what really caught her attention the most was the bare ass of her partner sitting in one of them. Lucy couldn't help but stare. He obviously hadn't noticed her presence. While this should have alarmed her, as he would usually have sensed her by now, this instead gave her greedy eyes a moment to see her fantasy in action. She observed his sculpted back muscles contract as he lifted a pail of water over his shoulder. She watched droplets form and run down the length of his back down to his buttocks. And what an ass it was. More droplets clung to the ends of his soft sakura hair. Her eyes noticed one drip from the tip and slowly crawl its way down his back. She pictured her hands there instead of—seriously what was wrong with her? Lucy turned around and dashed into the dressing room. With a quick slam of the sliding door she sunk down to the floor below her. Her knees were snug below her chin, as she looked up at a nearby sign she had not seen before.

Co-ed baths remain open all hours. Please shower before entering the spring.

How had she not noticed this sign before?! CO-ED! She was beginning to lose it. She couldn't bathe now. Maybe, she could wait for Natsu to finish. Then she could get in after him. She decided the plan was perfect. Before she could relax there was a knock at the frosted glass. She looked up to find the silhouette of her naked partner. Her cheeks flamed as her eyes travelled down to the area between his legs. Before she could get an eyeful, she forced herself to turn her head back toward the sign.

"Lucy? What are you doing in there?"

"Uh, turns out this is a co-ed spring," she said, her voice shaking from embarrassment. She hoped he hadn't noticed her dashing back into the building.

"What's the big deal? I've seen you naked lots of times," Natsu said casually. Lucy heard him knock again. She could feel the heat rising in her face this time with anger.

She stood up and opened the doors. She wanted to give him a piece of her mind. "You are so rude Natsu Dragneel!" she exclaimed, "None of those times were purposeful. And when did you get so nonchalant about nudity?!" She watched his signature grin spread across his face.

"Not like we haven't bathed together either," he chuckled.

"That was ONE time! Also, it was with the rest of the team," she said. Lucy wanted to send a kick his way. She wanted to see him splashing into the spring behind him with force. Unfortunately, she had then noticed not only was he standing before her, inches away and completely naked, but she also found her towel balled up at her feet.

"See? Not a big deal," he said. Natsu turned to head back to the showers. But, oh was it a big deal. He tried desperately to control himself as he sat back on the wooden stool. The image of her bare before him sent his thoughts reeling. He imagined of his mouth around one of those pert pink nipples of hers. Natsu had no idea what was going on. He didn't usually think like this. He wasn't lying when he said he was used to her always bizarrely being naked all the time. He filled the pail with icy water and dumped the entire thing over his head. His hair fell around his face and dripped down his cheeks. Natsu felt his chest tighten from the shock of cold. It was better than sitting through the different scenarios he had been creating between them. He watched the water poor down over his feet and slide between the stones of the floor. He would just have to act calm for her sake. Beside him, to his dismay, he heard another stool shift across the stone floor. He cursed inwardly at his nonchalant behavior earlier.

"If you say so," Lucy said, her voice was shaky and soft. The sound of it hand him filling up another cold bucket of water. "This isn't so bad," she continued. He dared not to look over at her as he heard the water begin to run into her bucket. He couldn't look. What if she decided to Lucy kick him to next Tuesday? What if she screamed at him for being a pervert? Why were his eyes now glued to her? He peered between strands of soaking pink hair. Green eyes glued to the filled bucket as she closed her eyes and tipped it back over her. His jaw went slack as he witnessed the water cascade around her exquisite form. Time stopped when she arched her back as the water fell. Her chest thrust out, for his eyes to see, nipples stiffened beneath the stream. Her pale skin was soaking wet, and steam seemed to rise from it. He tipped his own pail over himself again. _God, I want her._ The thought festered in his mind. The images wouldn't stop, and he could feel himself grow harder and needy beneath the icy bucket. It was too late. He was far gone now. Natsu had two choices. One, was to put his bucket down and walk right out of the hot spring. The second, was to take her right there on that wooden stool.

Lucy sighed from the rush of warm water over her needy skin. She couldn't get the picture of Natsu's hard abs out of her head now. She frowned from all the new scenarios moving through her imagination. Her tongue lapping up every drop of water running down his skin. She pictured his strong arms lifting her onto his thick member in the spring behind them. She pictured him kissing her right there on her stool. Lucy felt her sex tighten from the thought. _God, I want him._ It was as though she was under a trance. She couldn't stop her blood from pounding in her ears with need. What was happening to her? She took the chance to glance in Natsu's direction. She was met with the most intense stare she had ever seen. His eyes so dark it made her hot with need and wet to the core. If she was smart she would book it right through those frosted glass doors. Instead she found her body drawn to him like a magnet.

Natsu watched in stunned silence as Lucy stood before him. He couldn't take his eyes off her. She peered down into his eyes. Small drops of warm water slid down her cheek to her soft neck. His self-control was in the blue afternoon sky with the steam as he got to his feet. They stood so close their bodies almost pressed together. He would have asked her if she knew exactly what she was doing, but he didn't have to. Her arousal was all he could scent around him. It made him groan deep in his throat as his burning hands steered her back against the wall of the showers. He leaned down to capture her scorching mouth. Tongues hungrily devoured each other. Her nipples were hard against his skin as they pressed into each other. Her soft sounds reverberated in his ears. His rock-solid arousal pressed against her stomach had her almost limp in his arms. Lucy wrapped her arms around his neck, and lifted herself up to wrap her legs around his waist. She smirked when she was rewarded with his moan. They starved for each other—caught their breaths between kisses. He skimmed his teeth along her jaw line to her awaiting neck. He nipped and kissed her tender skin. His hips grinded against her soaked curls—his member sliding easy between her folds. She pressed her head back against the cold stone wall behind her. His tongue claimed her neck and his hands moved over her sensitive breasts. She couldn't help the soft whimper that tumbled from her lips as he rolled her nipples between his fingers. Her body was on fire. Her eyes squeezed shut with pleasure. She felt the absence of his lips on her neck. His hips continued their assault on her receptive clit.

"Open your eyes," Natsu said. His words were low and husky, a demand. She almost gasped from the sound. Lucy took the chance to open her eyes. She bit down on her lower lip when she met his sensual gaze. His eyes followed her teeth and leaned in to take her lip into his own mouth. Lucy found her hips thrusting up to match his rhythm. The length of him caressed her clit. The friction overcame her. Her climax closed in. His mouth released her flushed lip.

"Natsu," she whimpered into his ear. To her dismay, he stilled his hips. She tried desperately to relieve herself, and rocked against his velvet shaft. She watched a wicked grin spread across his face. Natsu took her lips in a heated kiss and wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her off the wall and walked her to the water's edge. He pulled away for only for a moment to watch his step as he walked them into the heated spring. Lucy found an opening, and leaned in to bite into his neck.

"Lucy, I can't concentrate on not slipping when you do that," he admitted, a groan proceeding. Her tongue circled the tiny teeth marks on his neck. The water's heat wrapped around their skin. The sounds of the spring became background noise to their own. Natsu pried her toned legs from his waist and lifted her to the edge of the pool. Her brows came together in confusion until he sank down low in the water. His eyes filled with a glittering mischief as he spread her legs for him. Natsu almost came just from the sight of her weeping sex. He watched her skin flush with embarrassment. "God Lucy, you're perfect," he said before diving into his prize. Lucy fell back onto her elbows throwing her head back with pleasure. His burning tongue darted out to lap at her hardened nub. His nose buried in her blond curls. Her legs dangled over his shoulders, and his hands gripped her thighs. Something primal pulsed inside him. The need to claim her, take her there in the spring, was stronger than anything he'd ever felt before. He moaned into her sex, penetrated her, lapped at her walls with his aggressive tongue.

"Natsu, I-I'm close," Lucy gasped. She peered down at him as he feasted on her. She watched him glance up, his eyes willing her to fall apart under his care. He growled and pulled her closer to him. His hands gripped desperately to her thighs. She wasn't sure if she had been hearing things before. It was almost as though he was talking into her mind. Almost like he spoke to her alone. "Cum for me," he willed. He wrapped his lips arounds her clit and began to suck sending her over the edge. Lucy felt her body spasm. She was drowning in pleasure, and consumed by it. The orgasm ripped through her. His name fell from her lips until her words were incomprehensible. Natsu watched her arch her back, and her breasts bounce from the movement. The sight of her climax had his shaft aching. It was a beautiful torment to see. Her body relaxed, her breaths laboring under the intensity. He could tell she was exhausted. He urgently needed to be inside her, but he knew she was beat. This would be the farthest they would go today. He stood up in the spring and climbed up to the edge. He picked her up in his arms. Lucy's eyes half lidded gazed up at him. Natsu brought her down into the steaming pool with him. He felt her turn in to lean against his chest. Her breath was hot against his skin. Natsu closed his eyes forcing the animal inside him into submission. He wanted nothing more than to bury himself inside her, but he didn't want it to be now. He opened his mouth to explain this when a curdling scream ripped through the air. Lucy sat up in his grasp, and followed Natsu's gaze over the high fence of the hot spring.

They didn't hesitate to step out of the water to dry and dress. Without words, as if waking up from a drunken dream, they raced past crowds of people that formed around the building that their room was in. People pressed in to see what had happened. Natsu grabbed Lucy's hand and began to wade through the crowd through the door. He pushed past the last person to meet the eyes of Hitoshi. Natsu's own narrowed.

"What's going on?" he demanded. Lucy pushed past Natsu and Hitoshi to the woman who sat on the ground. Lady Nakahara sat beside her in her little pink dress. Her hands were around the blonde's shoulders attempting to comfort her. When Lucy came closer she noticed the hazy look in her eyes as she started out the nearby window. Her hair was a mess and her cheeks were stained with tears.

"What happened?" Lucy asked. Lady Nakahara looked up at her and Natsu as he came to stand beside her.

"Rosette was attacked," she said quietly to the duo for no one else to hear. From behind in the crowd they heard whispers and more commotion. Hitoshi tried desperately to press the crowd back from the scene. There was another voice that boomed over everyone else's.

"Where is she?! I demand to see her!" Mercutio's voice bellowed.

"Let him through, Hitoshi," Lady Nakahara said. When the large man passed through the crowd they viewed his eyes as they became round with fear.

"What happened?" he asked. His voice shook when he sank down to the floor to cradle her face in his palms.

"The shadow. It came out of the window and left. Th-They had a knife," Rosette said. Her hand pressed against her throat. Lucy knew the gesture. She had made the same one that morning, and found herself doing it again. Natsu glanced over at his partner with concern.

"Maybe this is a good time to talk, huh?" he said down to them.

"Who has done this?" Lady Nakahara questioned.

"That's what we have to talk to you about," Lucy began, "We don't know."

* * *

 _ **As always, thank you for being so patient with me. If you haven't seen my update in my AN of the recent chapter of Drained (14), it explains where the heck I've been. After this chapter is published I will be working on a NALU romance one-shot, and the next chapter of Drained. I hope to be more frequent with my updates, but we shall see. Thanks again for all your support! Let me know what you thought of this chapter.**_


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